Supporting and Strengthening Families

A recent report from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development reveals that, although homelessness has declined overall, the number of homeless households, or families that are have been homeless in the last year, has increased by 7%.

As more and more families struggle with a scarcity of resources, formal and informal systes of support that fill in the gaps are more important than ever. By intentionally focusing on building Protective Factors for families, including Concrete Support in Times of Need, the people that surround children and families can minimize the stress and insecurity they face and mitigate their potentially negative impacts on children. Because chronic stress and trauma are particularly harmful to very young children, special attention should be paid to supporting families with the youngest children.

Strengthening Families offers many low-cost and no-cost strategies to build Protective Factors with families of young children that can be implemented in a broad spectrum of settings and supported by smart policies at the local, state, and federal levels.

For state policies to reduce poverty and support vulnerable families.

Cross-posted from the Strengthening Families blog by: Kate Stepleton